apostolica sedes vacans: general congregation meetings

On April 7th, the 5th General Congregation met with 140 cardinals. The Cardinals delegated to Edmund Cardinal Szoka the ability to mint coins and stamps for the Vacant See. The cardinals also finalized and published the order for the start of the conclave.
The Cardinals did not meet on April 8th due to Pope John Paul II’s funeral.
The 6th General Congregation met with 130 cardinals. The congregation expressed their thanks for all those who assisted with the funeral logistics. It also confirmed that Cardinal Sin and Cardinal Rivera would not attend the conclave due to illness.
During the congregations that followed, the Cardinals formally closed the Papal Apartments, giving time to those who assisted the Pope to move out.
The Cardinals agreed to start a time of silence and prayer, all submitting to themselves that they would refrain from interviews or any related activities until after the election of the next pope.
If you were intereted in how they determined who got which room during the conclave: they drew lots to determine room assignments.
With all of that, as well as few housekeeping duties of maintaining the Holy See, the Cardinals concluded their general congregations and entered into the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI.